


fresh start

by floofyfloof



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Kinda, No Beta, one-sided enemies?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:40:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29722212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floofyfloof/pseuds/floofyfloof
Summary: Marinette has been avoiding Adrien Agreste ever since he stuck a wad of chewing gum on her seat on the fateful first day of school.Unfortunately, she has to work with him for a project in class. Can this make her see the blond in a different light?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67
Collections: January 2021 - Exchange





	fresh start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiraculaKwami627](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraculaKwami627/gifts).



> hello! this is my piece for the ML Fanworks January-February Exchange! it's pretty short, but i hope you like it!

Marinette yawned as she tried to listen to Ms. Bustier talk about the partner project assigned to their class. A late-night akuma attack had prevented her from getting a good night’s sleep.

“You all will be working on a literary analysis for _Crime and Punishment_ , and I will assign your partners…”

Marinette nodded. She was fine with that. She was friends with almost everyone in the class.

Well, except for Chloe Bourgeois, for obvious reasons, and Adrien Agreste. 

Adrien was a new student this year. He was a good friend of Chloe, evident when he stuck a wad of chewing gum at her bench. Even since that incident, she’d made every effort to avoid crossing paths with him. 

She’d tried to, at least. It was hard when her best friend was dating Nino, who had happened to become good friends with Adrien (she couldn’t understand _how_ ). They both had tried to convince her to at least talk to him.

“Dude, I promise, he’s not as bad as you think!”

“C’mon girl, if Nino hangs out with him, I’m sure he’s nice! Give Adrien a chance!”

She had refused to do so. After all, he was friends with _Chloe_. Chloe, who had been in the same class as her for way too long, and had went out of her way to pick on Marinette all those years. Nothing good could come from talking to Adrien.

Ms. Bustier’s voice suddenly pulled her out of her stupor.

“Adrien and Marinette will be partners.”

Marinette’s head shot up. _That_ definitely woke her up from her half-nap.

Adrien and her? Partners? Marinette groaned.

“Adrien of all people? Gosh, this’ll be a disaster! He’s probably gonna make me do all the work like what Chloe does with Sabrina! And I have so much work to do and- Ms. Bustier, can I trade partners?”

“I agree! I think I should be partners with Adrikins!” Chloe shot up as well.

“I’m sorry Marinette, Chloe." Ms. Bustier shook her head. "I want everyone in this class to get to know each other very well, so I expect everyone to stay in their assigned groups.” 

Chloe scoffed. “There’s no way that Adrikins is going to work with _Dupain-Cheng_! Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

“It’s not like I want to work with him either…” Marinette muttered.

“We will not be switching partners for this assignment,” Bustier repeated sternly, then smiled. “Now, you all can start meeting your partners to discuss your reports!”

The students shuffled around the classroom to meet with their partners. Marinette sighed, resting her head on her elbow. She saw Alya get up to work with her partner, and another figure take a seat where she left in her peripheral vision.

“Hey!” Adrien started. “So our topic is about Raskolnikov’s-”

“If you’re gonna leave me to do all the work, then we should finish this quickly, alright? I have a huge baking order on Friday and I have to design Jagged’s next album cover, so hurry up and-”

“Wait, what- no, Marinette! I’ll be working with you!” Adrien interrupted. “I promise. If you’re busy, I can do a bit more of the work if you need.”

Marinette paused. “Really?” 

“Yeah, don’t worry! I’m pretty excited about this prompt, so you don’t have to be too stressed.”

Hm. That’s very different from Chloe. Maybe she _could_ give him a chance.

But only for this project. Not more than that.

* * *

They had decided that Adrien would go over to her house after school on Wednesday, since he has fencing on Tuesday, and because his father wouldn’t let any “bad influences” enter his house. He seemed to speak more like Chloe than Adrien did. 

(Marinette had deeply admired Gabriel, for his innovative and trendsetting designs that inspired so many of her own pieces. But now she started to realize that maybe there are things about him that she doesn’t like.)

Soon, it was Wednesday, and school was over. Marinette walked down the steps of the entrance toward Adrien. 

“No limousine?” She asked.

“Nope. I asked Gorilla not to come, since you said you live nearby.”

Marinette let out a sigh, not sure if in relief or in exasperation. On one hand, she wouldn’t have to awkwardly sit by Adrien in a limo. On the other hand, this walk will be longer than a ride and much more awkward.

“Well then, we should get going…”

“...Yeah.”

And indeed, the walk home was filled with nothing but awkward silence.

* * *

“Okay, so we’re about halfway done,” Adrien turned his head to Marinette. “Do you want to take a break?”

They were currently sitting in her room, Marinette on her chaise, Adrien on the ground beside her. Adrien had worked surprisingly quickly on the report. Then again, she did hear that he often scored full marks in all his classes.

Marinette nodded. “Sure. Just so you know, my parents are probably gonna come here to offer you some snacks. They can get a bit annoying, so, sorry about that.”

“No, it’s fine! Your parents seem really nice too!” Adrien seemed oddly excited.

And as if he heard her talking, Tom opened the trapdoor with a plate of pastries in his other hand. “Kids, I just finished my new and improved choux recipe!” he announced. “Would you like to have some?”

Marinette was about to say no when she noticed Adrien’s head perk up at the sight of the desserts, as if he had seen them for the first time. _Doesn’t he eat this stuff whenever he wants at home?_ “Sure, papa. Thanks!”

“Thank you very much, sir!” Adrien said a bit too excitedly. 

“Oh, just call me Tom, son!” And with that, Tom left, shutting the door.

“Have you had choux before?” Marinette asked out of curiosity.

“I had some once and I’ve been wanting to try some again, but I haven’t had the chance.” Adrien shrugged.

“Don’t you have, like, a personal chef who can make anything you want?” Marinette knew that Chloe could order her butler to bring a plate of caviar that was probably worth more than double her earnings from all her commissions combined.

“Yeah, I do, but my father restricts what I eat, so I can’t have that sort of stuff.” Oh. _I guess Adrien really isn’t as spoiled as Chloe._

“Aw, you’re missing out then! Here, try some!” She handed him a pastry, watching his face light up, with an expression of pure bliss.

“Wow, Marinette, these are amazing!” He exclaimed.

“They really are!” Marinette chuckled.

Maybe she could be friends with Adrien Agreste.

* * *

Marinette sighed, leaning her head back on the chaise. After hours of work, they had finally finished their report. 

“So we just have to summarize our report when we present to the class, right?” Adrien asked as he looked up at Marinette.

“Yeah, we still have like three more days.” Marinette stifled a yawn. “Let’s decide all that tomorrow.”

“Fine by me.”

“Okay.”

The awkward silence returned.

Marinette had questions for Adrien, so she supposed now was a better time to ask them than any other.

“You know, you act pretty differently from Chloe, so how exactly did you guys become friends?”

“Well,” Adrien rubbed his neck. “Our parents were kind of colleagues, so we hung out with each other a lot as kids. My father wouldn’t let me hang out with anyone else.”

“So your only friend then was Chloe, basically?” Marinette felt bad for Adrien in that regard.

“Yeah. I didn’t have any other friends. I had no idea that she acted so…” Adrien paused. “ _differently_ in school. She was never like that in front of me before.”

“Mmm.” So Adrien and Chloe were just friends because their parents knew each other. Maybe he didn’t want to hurt others like Chloe did. But that doesn’t explain-

“Wait, but then why did you put gum on my seat on the first day?”

Adrien grimaced. “About that...I actually didn’t put the gum on your seat then.” _Really?_

“But then who did?”

“It was Chloe. I tried to take it off your seat, but then...you know.”

“Oh.” Marinette couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried to, when school was over that day. But you kind of ignored me then, and I didn’t want to bother you further.” 

“Oh.” Marinette said again, hanging her head low in shame. She probably shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. “I-um, sorry about that. For judging you too quickly.”

“It’s alright.” Adrien laughed. “It’s understandable, with how Chloe acts like in school.” 

“Yeah…I guess”

“So then… can we be friends?” Adrien asked shyly.

Marinette looked up and beamed. “Of course!”

* * *

Fast-forward to presentation day. Needless to say, Alya and Nino had their jaws dropped when they saw Marinette walk into class, _laughing_ with Adrien.

“Dude, you’re friends now?!” Nino asked Adrien, who nodded with a proud smile on his face, sitting next to him.

“You’re friends with Adrien now? Girl, spill!” Alya demanded as Marinette took her seat.

“I’ll tell you later Alya!” Marinette shook her head, chuckling. “But I’ll just say he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was.”

“What did I tell you Marinette?" Alya laughed and shook her head. "You gotta tell me later! I need all the deets!”

“Alright, alright!” Marinette waved. “Just after the presentations, okay?”

Her and Adrien’s presentation went very well. She couldn’t stop looking at his side profile, and the way he passionately gestured as he spoke to the whole class. It was _beautiful._

Wait, _what_?

Marinette shook her head aggressively as she heard the bell ring signaling that class was over.

_Why did I call him beautiful? Sure, he’s super duper handsome- wait no! Yes, he’s objectively very good-looking but that’s not-_

“Hey, Marinette!” Adrien magically appeared next to her.

“Euaaagh!” Marinette jumped, startled.

“Are…you okay?” Adrien raised a brow in concern.

“Yes! You’re amazing! I mean- yeah, I’m totally fine!” What was happening to her? Why was she stuttering?

“Great!” Adrien said with a smile that could rival the sun. Her heart skipped a beat.

_Was she possibly having a crush?_

**Author's Note:**

> i chose crime and punishment as their assignment because i had just finished the book in my english class! probably the longest book i've ever read (especially since i normally don't like literature), but it's a very interesting read!
> 
> please write your thoughts in the comments below :)


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